


Say You Love Me

by reallyraduniverse



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, But mostly angst, Fluff and Angst, I'm Bad At Summaries, M/M, Phantom of the Opera AU, Slow Burn, Slow Burn AF, anyways musicals, help it's killing me, i hate slow burn but oh whale, i'm trash, life coach vitya, low key forgot the otayuri tag lmao, they're gonna perform Phantom of the Opera, you know that one theater AU no one asked for, yuuri meets Makkachin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-10-09 18:29:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10418445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reallyraduniverse/pseuds/reallyraduniverse
Summary: Yuuri Katsuki is an upcoming actor, cast in the role of Christine Daaé, even though he's a guy. He thinks that this won't be too hard, aside from those killer high notes. But, oh, was he wrong. He didn't think that his castmates would be so... interesting.  Especially the actor portraying Raoul, Viktor Nikiforov. Yuuri finds himself head over heels for Viktor. But castmate relationships are unprofessional. Right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Why this, you ask? Well, because I write whilst listening to songs from Phantom, so I thought I'd do an actors AU because I like musical theatre-y things. I'll do a character list at some point, but it should be clear who plays who and all that.  
> And honestly, I had a lot of trouble deciding which character from YOI is which character from Phantom.

Yuuri Katsuki counted his blessings and thanked the heavens for his luck daily. To have gotten as far as he had as a musical theatre actor, he was indeed lucky. Though the role might be questioned by others, he didn't care. He was just glad he'd managed to snag it. When he'd called his best friend, Phichit, to tell him, all he'd heard after was a bunch of screaming, and then some crying. His friend had been more excited than he had. Yuuri and Phichit had gone to school together in Detroit, where Yuuri had discovered his passion for the more musical side of theatre. _Phantom of the Opera_ had just been one of the musicals-made-movies they'd watched together, and admittedly, cried over. They'd even attempted to sing the songs, though neither of them could sing as deep as the Phantom. It was comical, and Yuuri still had some of the videos. He sighed to himself, happy that his dream could be a reality. 

However excited he was, Yuuri was prepared to work hard to get into character. But the excitement won over, and he found himself wondering what the rest of the cast would be like. Would they be nice? He hoped so. He looked forward to working with them. He'd only just heard that he'd gotten the role of Christine, and rehearsals didn't start for another few weeks, according to the email he'd received. 

Yuuri emailed his family, letting them know that his hard work in Detroit had paid off. Back in Hasetsu, he imagined them celebrating their darling Yuuri's success already. He smiled to himself. _This would be fun._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna do chapter summaries bc I'm really bad at that stuff. Enjoy!  
> I've been listening to the vinyl version of the overture non-stop for the past two days, it's amazing.  
> Also, as far as the roles go, I only had Sara mention the super important roles, like the Phantom, Raoul, Mme. Giry, Meg, the managers, Carlotta, her lover, etc.  
> AND, I've never really been in a real theatre production, so I'm going with my lacking memories of what it was like when I did drama in like 3rd grade, which was like... seven years ago, so bear with me. In fact, if you could, if you're in a theatre group, could you maybe tell me how a rehearsal normally goes? Thanks a ton!

Rehearsals proved to be something else. Yuuri still had yet to meet _all_ of his castmates, but the one he’d met had been… _interesting_ , to say the least. Many of them were Russian, and Yuuri felt a little out of place. His English was good, what with spending so much time in Detroit, but he still had an accent. He worried that people wouldn’t be able to understand him, but brushed that aside when he finally got to talk to some of them. The first person he met was Yuri Plisetsky, who was sixteen years old and not part of the cast. He informed Yuuri, in a hostile tone, that he was only here to judge everyone, and because his legal guardian (maybe his brother?) was in the cast.

“I hope your acting is better than your English.” The small Russian sneered, and then turned on his heel and walked away. Yuuri stared after him, trying not to look too shocked as he watched the boy walk away. He was twenty-three years old, and he’d just gotten sassed by a teenager.

“Don’t mind him!” A chipper- and very Russian- voice said. Yuuri looked up, noticing a tall red haired girl. “He’s just mad at Viktor for dragging him to rehearsals.”

"Oh." He mumbled. He was still embarrassed.

“Yuri’s just a sourpuss.” She replied. “I’m Mila, by the way. Technical stage manager.”

“I’m Yuuri.” He managed to squeak out. Her eyes lit up.

“You must be our Christine! Oh, they’ve been looking for you! Come on, come on, don’t keep ‘em waiting!” She shooed Yuuri over to a group of people.

He swallowed nervously, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He was suddenly aware that he was sweating. He shouldn’t be this nervous, right? He took a deep breath, making his way to the group. He stood there quietly, until someone noticed him.

“Ah, you must be Yuuri!” A small girl with black hair and tan skin squealed as he approached. She had an accent as well, and if Yuuri guessed correctly, she was Italian. “I’m Sara!”

Yuuri waved shyly, suddenly not able to find his voice. He could feel the hostile stares of the rest of the cast on him. He sighed inwardly, hoping with all his might that they wouldn’t hate him.

“Guys, guys! Our Christine is here!” The excited tone of her voice just about added the _‘finally’_ she didn’t say aloud. “So, here’s the cast. That’s Otabek, he’s André, and Mickey is Firmin. Chris is Piangi, I’m Carlotta, Minako is Madame Giry, and Minami is Meg. Oh, and we’ve got our Phantom, Georgi, and Viktor is Raoul.”

Yuuri was surprised, honestly. He knew Minako, he’d been one of her ballet students when he was younger. He mumbled out a greeting, barely looking up, until someone else addressed him.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Yuuri.” As Yuuri looked at the person who had spoken. He really would have trouble matching names to faces. The speaker had silver hair, blue eyes, and a charming smile.  “I’m Viktor.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” He mumbled. This person- _Viktor_ \- was also **_very_ ** Russian. He’d found that just about the entire cast had accents, whether they were French, Japanese, or Russian.

The rehearsal went just as Yuuri had thought it would. They’d all received scripts, and were told to highlight their lines. Mostly introductions, not a whole lot of excitement. He assumed that they’d start reading lines and singing soon. He found that couldn't wait.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for this tbh. It's really fun writing it, honestly. I found the script online, and I've got it ready for when they rehearse. I think the scene that'll be the most fun to write will be either the dress rehearsal, or the performance itself. HOWEVER, do expect the unexpected. I'm not saying names but someone in a very important role may or may not quit in a rage.  
> Another note: I listened to a chorus version of Phantom of the Opera, and the organ totally sounded like something that could be played at a wedding. I'm still in school, but I know what song will play when I get married.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Yuuri continues to shatter the gender norms, Georgi wails about lost love, and Viktor takes an interest in Yuuri's personal life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heck yeah, third chapter! So, as much as I hate slow burn things, this is a slow burning fanfic. I'm really impatient, this'll be tough. But I'll get through it, for the sake of this fanfic. I'm still listening to the overture on repeat, I even wake up to it. I'm a little obsessed. [Newt Scamander voice] Just a smidge. AND I ACTUALLY DID A CHAPTER SUMMARY. I FINALLY HAVE IDEAS FOR CHAPTER SUMMARIES. HELL YEAH.
> 
> NOTE: so some of it got deleted! SO I just went through and added a little more!

Rehearsals continued to consume Yuuri’s life, and he was glad for the distraction. If he was being honest with himself, he really didn’t like some (okay, one) members of the cast. They were all nice, but he didn’t quite like how dramatic Georgi was when they weren’t rehearsing. Apparently, Georgi’s girlfriend had broken up with him. _Again_. 

When he’d arrived that day, the first thing he’d heard was loud sobbing.The source of the sobbing had draped himself over Chris, wailing about lost love.

“I thought she was the one!” Georgi practically screamed. Chris merely patted his castmates shoulder.

“You’ll find the one someday. Anya just wasn’t the right one for you.” He said, sort of with an air of knowing lots about this love stuff, or something like it.  

 Yuuri moved on, putting the wailing out of his mind, because honestly, he didn't really know what to do to make Georgi stop. He passed by the punk-y blonde boy, Yuri, who was more or less making out with Otabek. Slightly disgusted, the Japanese man turned away, looking for anyone else. At last, he spotted Viktor. Sighing softly, he gazed at the Russian, wondering what could possibly be on his mind. What was that perfect specimen thinking about? Noticing him, Viktor looked up, his eyes sparkling. The corners of his mouth lifted up in a brilliant smile. 

"Yuuri!" He cried, dashing over and immediately grabbing hold of Yuuri's hands. "I haven't gotten to talk to you much yet! Tell me about yourself!" Yuuri blushed at how close Viktor had gotten, but brushed his embarrassment aside. 

"W-well, I-" He paused, collecting his thought. "Well, I went to school in Detroit. With my best friend, Phichit. We used to watch the movie version of Phantom of the Opera all the time…" He let out a small, contented sigh as he recalled the memory. Viktor chuckled, smiling. 

"What about your hobbies?" 

Hobbies. Did Yuuri even have hobbies? He couldn't remember. 

"Reading." He decided in a second. "I read a lot. I read Les Mis, once. It was, um, interesting?" He feebly tried to make this conversation interesting. It wasn't working. He laughed nervously, but Viktor seemed to be into what he was saying. 

"Really? Wow! I couldn't stay still long enough to read that!" He said, and Yuuri found the way he said 'wow' so incredibly  _hot_. Keep it together, Yuuri!

"Uh… does he always screech about lost love?" He asked, inclining his head towards Georgi. "He really… really sounds like the Phantom." At that comment, Viktor laughed once more. 

"Don't mind him, Yuuri! He's just had a rough time in the love department!" He replied, flashing a dazzling smile in Yuuri's direction. "We've all had our troubles there, no?" In response to his question, Yuuri shook his head. 

"No, actually-" He started, "I've never really had trouble in the 'love department' because I've never really dated." He shrugged. "It's never been important, really." He cringed inwardly, he'd said 'really' was too many times. But Viktor didn't seem to have noticed that. He was much more distracted with Yuuri's nonexistent love life. 

"Never? You've never loved someone? Ever?" He cried, almost distraught with the fact that Yuuri had never been in love before. "Oh, Yuuri, it's a tragedy! I just can't believe it!"

"Well, I can. I've just never really looked for a romantic partner, I guess." He shrugged once more. "I mean, I had a crush on my friend Yuuko, but that was when we were like… twelve." He didn't mention that he also found that he leaned more towards, well, men. 

"Ah, so you've never really looked." There was a mischievous twinkle in Viktor's stunning blue eyes, one that, honestly, made Yuuri somewhat nervous. 

"No, never. I guess." He confirmed, nodding. "Um- we, uh, we should probably start rehearsing soon, right?"

Viktor simply nodded, dragging Yuuri with him on his way to demand that Russian Yuri release Otabek  _at once_ , because they had a rehearsal to start. The blonde hissed, and Viktor laughed, reaching over to ruffle Yuri's hair. From the way the two interacted, Yuuri guessed that Viktor was Yuri's legal guardian. They managed to get Yuri to let Otabek go, after much hissing and whining. 

They started with  _Think of Me_ , and Sara, as Carlotta, started off with her lilting soprano voice. When it came to his turn, Yuuri felt distracted. His voice was shaky, as Christine was in the beginning, but he never managed to sing louder or stronger. With a loud, exasperated sigh, the director, Lilia, called for him to stop. They moved on, to try the title song. Georgi sounded flawless, but Yuuri was still unsure of himself.

"Alright, everyone. That's _enough_ for today." Lilia practically snarled, directing her biting glare at Yuuri. He gulped, looking down. He made a mental note to practice tonight, so he wouldn't disappoint anyone again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I started writing this on Saturday on my way to see Panic! At The Disco, so I was more than a little distracted. So the beginning will be a little shaky, but it'll get a little better as it drags on.  
> ALSO- they will start singing in the next chapter I PROMISE.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri decides that he needs to haul ass and practice as much as he can in his spare time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it sucks, it's because I started writing this chapter at three in the morning.  
> And I've been sick, really don't feel like doing anything but I've gotta power through and churn out something.  
> And that was like,,, last month and I'm STILL sick. But i'm powering through and doing this when i'm not working on chemistry work.

Disappointed in himself for messing up that day, Yuuri made sure to practice more. He sang in the shower, after dinner, before bed, and when he woke up. 

And then on Thursday, Yuuri gets an offer he simply couldn't refuse. Not just because Viktor Nikiforov was gorgeous, but because he really needed someone to sing with away from rehearsals. He was just about lost in Viktor's eyes when he received the Russian's offer. 

"Yuuri!" Yuuri decided he liked the sound of Viktor saying his name. "Is something wrong? I've noticed you freezing up during rehearsals."

"Oh, I- I, um…" His face heated up, and he slapped his hands over his burning cheeks. "I'm just… lacking confidence, that's all…" Yuuri smiled and gave a nervous laugh, but Viktor didn't see any reason to laugh along with him. 

"Ah, perhaps you need a little practice singing with someone?" He asked, raising none perfectly arched eyebrow. 

"Oh, I- well, maybe, but…" He sighed softly, "I've had trouble, um… finding someone who actually wants to practice extra with me…" 

"I'd say you're in luck, Yuuri!" Viktor squealed cheerfully. "I would be honored to help you!" Yuuri blinked, wondering if he'd misheard, or if his lack of sleep was making him hear things. 

"Really…? You'd do that?" He heard himself ask. 

"Of course! Anything to help a friend!" A friend. Viktor had referred to him as a friend. Yuuri felt like he might faint. 

* * *

Their first practice took place after the rehearsal. 

 "Alright, Yuuri, considering our roles, I think we should start with  _All I Ask of You._ What do you think?" Yuuri snapped back into focus, a bit startled. 

"Yes! Ah, perfect-" He stuttered, much to Viktor's amusement. He found Yuuri quite adorable, like a puppy. He fumbled around for the lyric sheet in the script, feeling very embarrassed when Viktor managed to elegantly turn the pages. 

"Are you ready, Yuuri?" Yuuri didn't know, really. But he had to be. 

"Yes. I'm ready." And they began their own secret rehearsal. 

" _No more talk of darkness,_ " Viktor sang, slipping into his role as easily as putting on a shirt.

" _Forget these wide-eyed fears,_  
_I'm here, nothing can harm you,_  
_My words will warm and calm you…_ "

Yuuri was mesmerized, letting himself get lost in Viktor's singing. 

" _Let me be your freedom,_  
_Let daylight dry your tears,_  
_I'm here, with you, beside you,_  
_To guard you and to guide you…"_

  
" _Say you'll love me every waking moment,_ " Yuuri joined in, trying to cringe as his voice shook,  
" _Turn my head with talk of summer time,_  
 _Say you need me with you now and always,_  
 _Promise me that all you say is true,_  
 _That's all I ask of you…_ "

He stopped, feeling almost winded, like he'd been running for too long. Viktor, who seemed to be ever observant, noticed Yuuri's pause.

"Yuuri, are you alright?" He asked, in a worried tone.

"Yeah, I- I'm okay." Yuuri nodded. "But, ah- I think we should be done for the day… I don't think I can do any more singing." He sighed softly, disappointed in himself once more.

"If that's what you'd like." Viktor's voice held no judgement or anger, just simple understanding. Yuuri liked that.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I don't know if anyone noticed or not, but my username has changed. It was richboyproblems, but now it's otabekaltin.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri and Viktor continue to practice together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, i think it's finally gonna get interesting. Poor Yuuri is still struggling, though. I feel bad for my poor baby but oh well
> 
> Also I don't write Vitya with enough sparkle please don't hate me he's so,,,, out of character asdjfks

Yuuri had finally gained a little scrap of confidence big enough to get him through rehearsals. He clung to it, every so often glancing towards Viktor for reassurance. His voice wavered constantly, but it was better that it had been. Thankfully, it was good enough for those first five weeks, but unfortunately, it wouldn't last. 

He knew he needed to try  _something_ to up his confidence levels, but nothing was working at all. He'd noticed some of his fellow cast members (and Viktor's blonde friend) rolling their eyes when his voice broke and he couldn't continue, which just caused his anxiety levels to spike even more. He'd spent hours in tears, and nothing could fix this. His lack of confidence had to be fixed, or he couldn't take part in something he'd dreamed of for ages. 

"Yuuri, are you alright?" Viktor's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "You look awfully tired today."

"Oh, I- I'm fine, Viktor. I just didn't sleep well last night." Yuuri shrugged and smiled, like it couldn't be helped. 

"Ah, then maybe we should skip our normal one on one practicing today?" 

"N-no, its fine! I'm fine!" He said, shaking his head. "Please, I- fine, I'm fine. I need… your help. Please."

"Of course, Yuuri. But what is it that you need help with? Your singing is already amazing, even though you seem unsure of yourself." Viktor sighed. "Are you unsure of yourself because you lack confidence?" Yuuri nodded, trying not to feel too disappointed in himself. 

"I just- I'm trying not to let everything intimidate me but- it's hard. Everyone's so good and I'm still a beginner. I'm starting to think I was miscast. I belong in the chorus, not as Christine Daaé. I  _suck_ , Viktor! My voice cracks, sometimes I can't finish my lines. If it happens too many times, they'll probably replace me." He sighed, exasperated with his lacking confidence. 

"This was my shot at my childhood dream, and I'm throwing it away by being so nervous!" 

"Yuuri," said Viktor, "please calm down, and stop worrying so much. They won't replace you, or ever think about it, because I am going to help you build your confidence." He smiled encouragingly, but then frowned. 

"Yuuri… are you crying?"

He shook his head, keeping it down as he reached up to wipe away the tears he couldn't stop. He felt so pathetic, crying in front of a castmate like this.  

"N-no, I'm just- I'm not crying-" He sniffled, swiping at his eyes again. "Yes. I am."

"Yuuri, please listen to me," He looked up, meeting Viktor's eyes. "I know you can do this, I've seen you do it before. I believe in you."

"You might, but I don't! I have- I have no faith in myself!" He cried, failing miserably at trying to wipe away the rest of the stray tears. 

"Hm… perhaps we should work on your confidence instead of your voice. You sing like an angel." Viktor hummed, closing his eyes in thought.

"But how will we…?" Yuuri was cut off, as Viktor let out a triumphant screech. 

"Yuuri! Starting today, I'll be your life coach!" He squawked, placing his hands on Yuuri's shoulders. 

"Life coach…?"

"Life coach!"

* * *

Needless to say, Yuuri knew that Viktor had no idea what he was doing. He did, however, appreciate that the Russian was doing this for him, what with the two not barely knowing each other.

Another struggle for Yuuri's confidence was his accent. He didn't think he could pronounce some words correctly, like everyone else could. However, Viktor took time to help him with pronunciation, and soon Yuuri wasn't having as much trouble. With the accent problem mostly out of the way, his low confidence levels were beginning to rise. 

"Yuuri! I don't know if you've noticed yet, but you made it through  _Angel of Music_ without panicking!" Viktor told him after one rehearsal, speaking with an air of pride about him, like a teacher would when his or her worst student finally understood what they were being taught.

"Oh…?" Yuuri looked up, surprised. "I didn't notice any difference. I still… still sound terrible to me." 

"No, no!" Viktor insisted, shaking his head. "You sound wonderful, Yuuri!"

"No, not really. My voice cracks, despite all of the warm ups we do." He sighed softly, resting his chin on his hand with a small pout. 

"Then we'll just keep working," said Viktor, making that determined face again. Yuuri sighed again, but smiled a bit. 

* * *

"Tell me more!" Phichit demanded over the phone, so loudly that Yuuri had to take the device away from his ear. 

"I've told you almost everything, twice, Phichit. There's nothing left to tell." Yuuri replied with a small laugh. 

"Oh, please! There's got to be something! How's your confidence?? You said you were working on it!"

"Oh, yeah, that. I've been getting help from a castmate recently. He's been really nice about it, too." He sighed, almost contentedly. 

"Yuuri! Don't tell me you have a crush on another cast member!" Phichit squawked, and Yuuri could tell he was flailing the arm that wasn't holding his phone.

"I don't, trust me. We're friends, that's all." He smiled, thinking of how nice Viktor had been.

"Well, fine. What about the others?"

"Oh, you know. Same as they were when I told you about them. Yurio- that's what Viktor's taken to calling him- is still a bit of a handful, he doesn't like it when Viktor interrupts his makeout sessions with Otabek. It's kinda funny, he's like a cat." Yuuri laughed. 

"You talk about this Viktor guy a lot, Yuuri! I wanna meet him when I come to see you on opening night! And everyone else!"

"Okay, okay. But you'd better be prepared, Phi. They're… rowdy."

"I'm prepared, I lived with you for four years of my life."

"Thanks…" He rolled his eyes. "Well, I should go. I've got to practice my lines."

"Aw… bye, Yuuri! I'm rooting for you!" Phichit squealed, and then hung up before Yuuri could say anything else, which he was glad for. With a sigh, he out the phone down and picked up the script to practice. 

The next day at rehearsals, Mila and Lilia stood before the cast with grim expressions. 

"We've run into a bit of a problem." Mila said, trying her hardest to make light of what seemed to be a bad situation.

"As many of you who stayed late know," Lilia directed her sharp glare at Yuuri and Viktor, who had left as soon as the previous day's rehearsal let out, "Georgi has ultimately decided to leave us. We're in a very awkward position, trying to replace him with so little time." She cleared her throat, and rolled her eyes.

"And we decided-" Mila cut her off.

"We decided to recast!" She squealed, now happy despite the situation. "Now, Viktor was originally to play Raoul, but since Georgi isn't with us any longer, we couldn't think of anyone better to play the Phantom!"

"What about Raoul? Who will play Raoul?" Sara asked quietly, raising her hand to be noticed. 

"Don't fret, everyone, don't fret," said Lilia, "we managed to find a replacement. He'll be here shortly."

Yuuri cringed inwardly. He'd gotten so used to Viktor as Raoul. Would this new guy even be good? If they'd found him on such short notice, he must've been a bit good. Still, he was… nervous about this all. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a way to end a chapter. Slow burn is killing me. I just want them to kiss and cuddle and all that jazz. Next chapter, you'll get to meet new Raoul. Any guesses on who he might be?  
> tag added: "life coach vitya"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new Raoul shows up for rehearsals, just ten minutes late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is sort of set from Viktor's point of view, I guess. You kinda get to see how he feels about Yuuri, and how he feels about a newcomer capturing Yuuri's attention. What you don't get to see is Yuuri's internal panic about being romantic (even for a fictional performance) with someone who isn't Viktor, someone he's gotten comfortable around. So while you don't see as much Yuuri, it's still a fun chapter.  
> Also!! I'm very happy to tell you guys that this fic recently reaches 1000 reads! To some of y'all, that might be not much but for me, that's amazing! Thank you guys so, so much!

The man who would be taking on the role of Raoul was late. Only by ten minutes, but still. An actor was always to be on time, if not a little early. Viktor snorted, swiping a clump of silvery hair out of his eyes. While he was glad that he would be playing the most sought after role in the entire musical, he didn't like the idea of someone else singing the part of a lover with Yuuri. Sure, it was just theatrics, but he still didn't like it. But he would grin and bear it, because no one in their right mind would ever complain about playing the Phantom of the Opera. 

Jean-Jacques Leroy was quite a bit younger than the rest of the cast, save for Otabek. While most of them were well into their early or late twenties, he was just shy of nineteen, and taller than most of the other cast members. In addition to that, he was quite narcissistic. Viktor had heard of him boasting how great he'd been in a Canadian production of  _Chicago._ He'd played the role of Billy Flynn, the lawyer. Viktor rolled his eyes. His only thought was that he wished Georgi hadn't been so distraught, and that he could still be Raoul without this JJ taking his original role. 

Rehearsals were slow. Every time the singing would start, JJ interrupted to try and give feedback to every singer. Even the ensemble. The only one he didn't interrupt, to everyone's surprise, was Yuuri. 

He and Viktor had worked hard enough that Yuuri had finally gained his confidence for good, and his voice did not shake as he sang for them. With each note, each melody, Viktor sighed, feeling himself fall for Yuuri again. However, as soon as he started daydreaming about the Japanese man, he was snapped out of his fantasies when JJ spoke.

"You have the most beautiful voice," He said, his voice obnoxiously loud, "I have ever heard."

"O-oh! Thank you…" Yuuri mumbled, blushing and trying to hide it. Viktor sighed loudly, looking away. He'd have to tell Yuuri that he loved his singing today when they rehearsed privately. 

"You know, your voice reminds me of this one girl I sang with back when I…"

Viktor had tuned out at that point, barely listening to the two conversing. He knew he was being rude, but he really didn't care. Why bother listening to a pretentious asshole, anyways?

"Viktor?"

He looked up, startled, from where he'd been standing, arms crossed over his chest and glaring down at his shoes. 

"Hm? What is it, Yuuri?" He asked, pretending like he hadn't just tuned everyone out. Yuuri was standing in front of him, head tilted to the side. He looked like a curious puppy.

"Are... Are we still practicing together today?" He asked softly, and brightened when Viktor nodded. "Oh, great Would it be alright if JJ joined us, just for today?"

It would not be alright if Jean-Jacques Leroy intruded on their alone time. But Viktor didn't want to upset his Yuuri, so he simply nodded and offered a small smile.

"Of course, Yuuri, if you'd really like him to join us." On the inside, Viktor Nikiforov was screaming, but no one could see that. Yuuri turned away to resume his conversation with JJ, and Viktor felt his heart break a little. Maybe that was just the feeling from Yuri kicking him in the back when he had to drag the blond boy out of bed that morning. He never wanted to come to Viktor's rehearsals, not even when he was told that Otabek would be there. He hoped it was just the feeling from when Yuri kicked him. He reassured himself with the fact that Yuuri and JJ were pretty much polar opposites. Where Yuuri was quiet and softspoken, JJ was obnoxiously loud. He didn't really think they had anything in common, but maybe he just really wanted to be the one Yuuri payed attention to.

* * *

Their daily one-on-one rehearsal was quite different, and not just because JJ was there. Instead of rehearsing sitting next to each other, they'd decided to do it on the stage. But much to Viktor's dismay, the other two had decided to start with a strictly Christine and Raoul scene. He stood to the side and watched, a look of boredom across his face. Midway through the scene, Yuuri looked over with a worried expression.

"Viktor, are you alright?" He asked softly, throwing the script down at his feet.

"I'm bitter," Viktor answered. "Bitter and complicated. It's one of my charms." He really did feel bitter, and the reasons why were complicated.

"Wow, Viktor! I didn't know you were coffee!" JJ chimed in, his obnoxiously loud voice echoing in the empty theatre. Viktor cringed. If he had to listen to that idiot speak for any longer, he would probably throw him off the stage.

"Oh, I'm not bitter like coffee. I'm much worse." He said in response. "Now, why don't you two go back to that scene, then we can try the final scene, because I need practice too, believe it or not."

"Right, right!" Yuuri's eyes lit up. "Oh, the final scene will be so much fun!"   _Kissing Yuuri in the final scene would be fun._

"Actually, why don't we do it now?" A smug smile appeared on Viktor's lips.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it seems like it's going fast, what with Vitya and his inner monologue about falling for Yuuri all over again, but it's only gonna be a 12 to 15 chapter fic, so I'm trying to slow burn it but it's a struggle. Really.  
> And I don't hate JJ, I just,,,,, needed someone to make Vitya jealous. Maybe once JJ's interest with Yuuri wears off, he'll go after Otabek and make Yurio mad. But really everything makes Yurio mad.
> 
> Also, comments DO help the writing process, believe it or not. Kinda like,,, motivates me. So,,, if y'all could, comment some scenes and songs from Phantom you'd like to see them perform in this fic.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor is jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally listened to the rest of the soundtrack to Phantom, so I've got other ideas for songs that they'll be practicing with, like Why Have You Brought Me Here/Raoul I've Been There, which is my personal favorite.

~~~~Unfortunately for Viktor, he had to sit through one more scene between Yuuri and JJ. Though he hated to admit it, they sounded great together. His burning hatred for JJ burned even more. But Yuuri… Yuuri's voice was so sweet and soft, compared to JJ's deep baritone. Viktor hated to admit, but he'd fallen in love so quickly that he couldn't believe Yuuri was real.

He zoned out, daydreaming about Yuuri, and his voice and every lovely thing. He wondered if Yuuri would like Makkachin. He hoped he would. Makkachin would love Yuuri a lot.  

"…iktor? Viktor, are you paying attention?" came Yuuri's soft voice, and when he looked up, said man was standing in front of him, brows pinched together in what seemed to be worry. 

"Mm, yes. Yes, I am." He nodded, lying easily. "You sounded lovely, Yuuri."

"What about me? I'm here too!" JJ whined, which Viktor found quite annoying. 

"Yes, Josh, you sounded wonderful." He waved his hand, brushing him off. 

"It's Jean-"

"Whatever, I don't care."

Yuuri cleared his throat, glancing nervously between Viktor and JJ. Viktor looked like he was ready to kill JJ, while the other just looked kind of scared. 

"Anyways!" Viktor suddenly exclaimed, his normal smile popping back into place, "Let's get on with this!"

"Great idea-" Yuuri murmured. "So, ah… we're doing the final lair scene?" He asked softly. 

"Yes, I think we do need to rehearse that one. Someone needs to work on their… emotions." 

"Be nice, Viktor. It's not his fault… we all can't be great, um, actors like you."

"I'm  _right_ here!" JJ huffed. "Can we just get this over with?"

* * *

The final lair scene took lots of emotion. The Phantom was angry, Christine was upset, and Raoul felt lots of hurt and betrayal. 

"Alright. Let's get started." Viktor said, guiding Yuuri over to the proclaimed 'starting point.' He cleared his throat, and channeled his inner Phantom. 

" _Down once more to the dungeons of my black despair,_

_Down we plunge to the prison of my mind…_

_Down that path into darkness deep as hell!_ "

And so their rehearsal went, back and forth, back and forth. 

" _Farewell my fallen idol and false friend, we had such hopes and now those hopes are shattered!_ "

" _Too late for turning back, too late for prayers and useless pity…_ "

" _Say you love him, and my life is over…_ "

Yuuri took a deep breath, ready to sing the last line before the kiss scene as JJ and Viktor sang in unison. 

" _So do you end your days with me, or do you send him to his GRAVE?_ "

" _Why make her lie to you to save me?_ "

" _Angel of music, who deserves this? Why do you curse mercy?_ "

"We've _passed the point of no… return…_ "

 _"You deceived me! I gave my mind blindly!_ "

Yuuri honestly thought Phantom Viktor was scary. He was scared, but perhaps that was because he was in character. 

"You try my patience. Make your choice."

" _Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known? God give me courage to show you… you are not alone!_ "

And then Yuuri leaned forward, grabbing the taller man by the collar of his shirt and pressing his lips to Viktor's.

* * *

 

They finished the scene, as fast as they could after the kiss. Yuuri's face had been scarlet throughout the end, even after JJ had left. 

"Yuuri," Viktor started quietly, "would you like to come home with me and meet Makkachin?"

"Who's Makkachin?" Yuuri asked quietly. 

"My dog," he answered, grinning as Yuuri's face lit up. 

"Yes! I love dogs!" He squealed, taking Viktor's hand. Then, he looked down and blushed. 

"Alright, then. Let's get going, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a long time to finish this, I'm sorry. But !! Viktuuri finally kissed. So the italic stuff is the singing lmao   
> Leave a comment for a scene or song you'd like our lovely characters to do!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri meets Makkachin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 8, here we go.  
> This might be a bit short, as it is mostly a filler chapter as I gear up to put the finishing touches on details and finish this fic up. I'm planing for 12 chapters, and maybe, m a y b e a bonus epilogue.

_Viktor's dog looks exactly like Vicchan_ , Yuuri thought. His beloved dog had passed away years ago, but that didn't mean he'd stopped thinking about his precious puppy. He hadn't been able to say goodbye since he'd been in Detroit with Phichit at the time. 

He supposed that Viktor was taking him to meet the dog to see if he was accepted into their little family. He hoped that the legendary Makkachin accepted him, because who wouldn't want to be accepted by Viktor's dog? He could be part of their little family.  _Family_. Which reminded him, he needed to call his. He'd been getting texts from Mari daily, telling him to _get off his ass and call mom and dad_. He'd smiled, though, because even Mari's insults made him happy. He'd have to video call them at some point before they came for opening night, and he would make sure to introduce them to Viktor. 

"Yuuri! This is Makkachin! Makkachin, say hello to Yuuri!" Viktor patted the dog on the head, grinning. Yuuri gave Makkachin a small pat, holding back just a bit. The dog, on the other hand, had other plans. With a great woof, he'd lunged and managed to knock Yuuri over to lick his face. Yuuri laughed, running his fingers through the soft, curly fur. He'd forgotten what receiving love from a dog had felt like and he found that it was a welcome feeling. 

"Makkachin!" Viktor cried, trying to get the dog off of Yuuri, "you can't do that!"

"No, it's okay." Yuuri said, smiling like he used to when Vicchan would do the same thing. "I like it." It had been so long since a dog had given him such affection and he found that he'd missed in the way that someone misses a lover. Makkachin was adorable. Makkachin was the dog of his dreams. God, he had to get with Viktor. Not only was the man amazing, he even had a wonderful and affectionate dog, too. He was perfect. Ethereal. Otherworldly. Yuuri was in love. 

"Yuuri?" Viktor's voice brought him out of his daydreams and thoughts. 

"Yeah?" He looked up, still stroking Makkachin's curly fur. The dog made a happy slurping sound and licked Yuuri's face. 

"Would you like to stay for dinner? I can't promise anything special, but I have been told I'm very good at making Borscht." He grinned, shrugging. 

"Oh-" Yuuri blushed, busying himself momentarily with petting the dog. "Oh, I'd love to, Viktor. That would be wonderful." Viktor's smile only got bigger. 

"Amazing!" He said, finally managing to get Makkachin to leave Yuuri alone. He watched the silver haired man take the dog back to his room. It was almost sad for Yuuri, since it had been so long since he'd petted a dog. Viktor came back, still smiling. 

"You've done so well so far, Yuuri." He told him. "You're going to be amazing on opening night!" 

Yuuri tried matching Viktor's dazzling grin, but he just couldn't. 

"I don't know." He sighed. "No one else is really that confident about my abilities besides you. I'm sure the rest of the cast would love a new Christine." 

"Yuuri! No, how could you say that? You're amazing! You have a talent like no other, you know that? Even Lilia has praised you!" Viktor told him, sliding an arm around Yuuri's shoulders. 

"She has?" Yuuri asked, feelinghis cheeks get pink. "Oh- but I still don't sound good. My accent…"

"Is lovely." The Russian replied firmly. "You're very talented, Yuuri. I think you'll go on to do many great things with that talent. Please, believe me on this one. I know talent when I see it, and I saw it in you the first time we met."

"This is incredibly sappy." Yuuri murmured, fidgeting nervously. 

"So be it!" Viktor declared, grabbing Yuuri's hands and giving them a gentle squeeze. "You're amazingly talented, Yuuri. You're all around amazing!"

"V-Viktor…" Yuuri could feel his cheeks getting red. 

"On opening night, Yuuri, I know you'll succeed. I know you will do the best you can and I know that the performance will be wonderful." 

"Viktor…"

"Please don't deny it, Yuuri. You're wonderful."

They then sat in silence, until Viktor broke it again.

"So," he started, "how about that Borscht?"

It was all Yuuri could do to nod a yes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, it's been a month. I'm sorry. I've fallen out of a schedule that I never had and I've been working on others fics. This fic, however, is approaching its end. I'm not sure how many more chapters there will be, but they will hopefully be good.
> 
> The thing is, I have no motivation to keep updating this fic. I hate to be like this but comments would be much appreciated. I want to know what you guys want to see in this fanfic. I want to have something to write into this to make all of you happy. So, if you could, maybe comment something you want to see happen?


	9. author's note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please read!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just some important stuff, y'all

Okay, after a lot of thinking, I've decided that the next chapter will be the final chapter. 

Why? Well, I've had an idea for a sequel, which I've started working on already. The main pairing will be Otayuri because they're y boys and I love them. Viktor and Yuuri will be in it, don't worry! They'll be more of minor characters for a few chapters, though. BUT, since this one is centered on Yurio, they'll have a lot of little interactions here and there. 

Yuri will get into the musical theater sort of thing with some (a lot) encouragement from Otabek. And finally, the musical for the second one will be Les Misérables. I've just been thinking about Yuri as Cosette and,,, yeah. So there we have it. Stay tuned for the final chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> right, so, that's that. comment what you want to see in the final chapter maybe?


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> opening night, need I say more?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome, friends, to the final chapter! I'm already hard at work on the sequel! I hope you enjoy this one.

Months passed, Yuuri's singing got even better, and suddenly opening night was upon them. He couldn't believe how much time had passed, and to think that just months ago, he wasn't as good as everyone else was crazy. Everything had come and gone so fast, and it was weird to think that in a few days he wouldn't have to get up early for rehearsals anymore. He wouldn't see Viktor anymore, either, which made his heart sad. He'd grown very fond of the silver-haired man, though he didn't know if Viktor felt the same. He had no time to ponder it either, for everyone was far too busy to even have a bit of time to themselves. Rehearsals went longer now, to use every chance to polish everything. Yuuri could barely think of anything but the musical, hearing the music whenever he went to sleep. When he was awake, it seemed to float around him too, never leaving. Maybe he was crazy, or maybe he'd been practicing and listening for too long. 

He'd never been more nervous in his life. Yuuri's entire body shook during their final dress rehearsal, but Lilia was so distracted that she didn't notice.  The rest of the cast, on the other hand, did, especially Viktor.  He tried to shake it off, maybe steady himself a bit. But steadiness never came, he continued to shake in those pretty outfits of Christine Daaé. Hopefully, his stress didn't get the best of him. He was known for his stress-induced binge eating, unfortunately. He swore that his mother had almost had a heart attack when she saw what he'd been eating when he went back to Japan. Luckily, the stress hadn't been too bad… yet, but maybe it was because of Viktor always seemed to be close by. Yuuri didn't want to look like a slob in front of him. 

But he'd made it to opening night without any hitches in the glorious nights ahead of him. He'd technically get to kiss Viktor- but then he would also have to stage kiss someone else. He pushed that thought away, taking a deep breath. He could do this. He would do this. He would succeed and he would win Viktor's affections. He knew that if he did well, Viktor would be proud of him, and he wanted that. He wanted it badly. If he could perform well enough, maybe Viktor  _would_ want him. Maybe if he was proud, he would hug Yuuri, hold Yuuri, and tell him that he'd never been happier. And Yuuri would tell Viktor that he hadn't been happier either. Ah, what a perfectly swoon worthy thought! Yuuri's face heated, turning a bright shade of red before he could do anything. 

"Oi, piggy!" Oh no. He knew that voice. In fact, whenever Yuuri saw the owner of that voice, he was either making out with Otabek or punching someone. He flinched. 

"Uh… um, yeah, Yurio?" He looked up, hoping the embarrassing blush had faded. 

"Don't call me that!" The blond boy snarled, glaring at Yuuri. 

"Sorry," he yelped, cringing at how helpless he sounded. 

"Anyways," the Russian sighed, rolling his green eyes, "it's opening night. I don't give a shit about this musical theater, but stay out of Viktor's way. You're just going to drag him down." Yuuri froze. He opened his mouth to say something, but Yurio cut him off. 

"I don't care what you are going to say, piggy, but stay out of Viktor's way." He turned on his heel and walked away, jamming his pale fists into his hoodie's pockets. Yuuri stood where he was, trembling. He could hear everyone chatting, so he decided to hide. Hiding never hurt anyone. He'd show up when they needed him. But the more he thought, the more he felt like he would be letting Viktor down. If he did as Yurio said, he'd be letting Viktor down. If he performed, he would let Viktor down. He sniffled, only realizing then that he was crying. He covered his face with his hands, hoping to muffle his sobs. He didnt hear footsteps, and he didn't notice anyone sitting next to him until someone put a reassuring hand on his back. 

"Are you okay?" Oh, so the hand belonged to JJ. Yuuri looked up, hastily wiping away his tears and nodding. 

"Just fine." He replied, his voice cracking as he spoke. 

"Ah, the little kitten got to you that much?"

"He isn't a kitten. He's… too mean." 

"Well, yeah, but he hates being called 'kitten' unless your name is Otabek Altin." JJ shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"They don't seem like they go together very well." Yuuri said quietly, thinking of quiet, stoic Otabek, and loud, easily angered Yurio. If anything, Otabek belonged with someone a little more quiet, and Yurio should be with someone who could handle his noise levels. 

"It's all about balance, you know? Those two balance each other out, or whatever."

"I suppose." Yuuri nodded. "Why is he so protective of Viktor if he's with Otabek?"

"They're cousins. I have no idea why little Yuri-chan is so protective, though. Maybe Viktor's got a bad history in the romance department."

"Oh… maybe." They sat quietly for a bit, just basking in how peaceful the place seemed now that everyone was occupied. 

"They'll probably come looking for us soon," JJ said at last, breaking their peaceful silence. Yuuri merely nodded, standing up and brushing himself off. He peered in the direction of the open doors, looking for where everyone was gathering. He followed the light until he reached them. And so, opening night would come to a start. 

* * *

 

And so it did. The overture, as usual, sent shivers down Yuuri's spine. Before he went out for his first science, Viktor gave his hand a tight, reassuring squeeze, to which Yuuri smiled weakly.

His first scene was done as quickly as it had come about, and he was in the next costume. To be completely honest, he hated it. It was frilly and along with frills came itchiness. It was lovely, though. He truly felt as if he'd completely stepped into the role of Christine Daaé. He hoped that his family and Phichit were there, watching. He would do his best for them, for Viktor. He sang as best he knew how, loud and clear. He knew that his throat would hurt after, but he would be fine and happy. 

JJ was fine as Raoul, though he didn't have the spark that Viktor had displayed, but it could just be Yuuri's heart telling him that.  Of course, the Canadian did have the flair needed, but Yuuri didn't know if he could fabricate Christine's love for Raoul with JJ playing the opposing part.

The first scene with Viktor nearly took his breath away. The other man was brilliant as the Phantom, easily stepping into the dark and mysterious role. It sent shivers down Yuuri's spine, especially when Viktor, as the Phantom, held him and sang softly into his ear. Yuuri could understand why Christine had been so willing to follow the Phantom to his lair. He would follow Viktor anywhere, no matter what. He could just hear Yurio scoffing at him. 

The hardest scene was the final lair scene. It felt so different from when they had rehearsed it after Viktor had taken on the role of the Phantom. JJ seemed to be way more confident with his role, if that was possible. Viktor had easily got himself into his, and Yuuri… Yuuri felt confident for the first time since he'd started doing extra rehearsing with Viktor. But it was real. He was really there, performing. He was performing the final scene with two other great actors. But it was still incredibly hard, though they'd all worked so hard to make it to where they were now at. The scene finished, and Yuuri felt a wave of relief sweep over him. He'd done it. He'd done it! A small gasp escaped him as the curtain fell again. It was over. The first performance was done, he'd done it and he hadn't even felt too nervous either. He had to find his family, and Phichit. They'd want to see him. 

They found him just as he had finished changing out of the costume and into his normal clothes. 

"Yuuri!" Phichit exclaimed, flinging his arms around his friend, "that was amazing!"

"Thanks, Phichit," he murmured, feeling incredibly tired. He still had to find Viktor again…

"We're so proud of you!" His parents told him, each smiling. 

"Go find that friend of yours, Yuuri." Phichit said, nudging him back in the direction of the backstage area. "I wanna meet him."

"Alright… I'll be back." 

* * *

 

He found Viktor with Otabek, and the smaller blond Russian. Yurio, right, the one who'd yelled at him about distracting Viktor. Otabek's boyfriend. The blond turned to him, probably to say some spiteful comment. 

"I know, Yurio." Yuuri said before the smallest of the group could even speak. "Being fifteen is very hard."

"Wha- I'm seventeen, you idiot! I was going to congratulate you on a good performance, but I guess I shouldn't!" The blond huffed, directing his glare to Yuuri. 

"Don't be mean," Otabek told him softly, which resulted in another loud sigh from Yurio. 

"Fine. You did… okay, Pig." He rolled his eyes, avoiding Yuuri's eyes. 

"Thank you, Yurio." Yuuri replied, smiling a bit. 

They waited for Otabek and Yurio to leave, which didn't take long. And when the two left, Yuuri and Viktor stood together in comfortable silence until Viktor spoke. 

"Yuuri," he said softly, reaching out and taking Yuuri's hand. "You were amazing tonight. As your technical mentor, I am so proud of you. You really have improved since the first rehearsal. I'm amazed, really. You're amazing." He smiled, waiting for Yuuri to say something. 

"I… Viktor, it's because of you. You helped me get to where I am now," he told him, feeling his eyes well up with tears. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't think I would have stayed long enough to perform on opening night and any days after that. Thank you, Viktor. Thank you so much for helping me." He smiled, and turned to leave. 

"One more thing, Yuuri."

"Yes?"

Viktor placed his hands on Yuuri's shoulders, leaning in slightly to press a kiss to the other man's cheek. 

"I really am proud of you. I hope you'll come back for the next musical. But, if you don't, I do want to continue to get to know you, Yuuri. I would love that."

"I… so would I, Viktor. That would be nice, really." Yuuri replied, blushing slightly. 

"Text me whenever you feel like it," Viktor told him, holding his gaze. "I'll answer, I promise."

"Alright. I'll come back for the next musical, Viktor. I will!" 

True to his word, he would. Yuuri would audition for the next musical, if only to be a part of this group- no, this family- again. He felt warm and happy with these people, even if he hadn't been the best Christine Daaé. Even Yurio felt like a part of his second family. And he loved it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! It's been a blast writing this. I've loved the Phantom of the Opera for a while, and I just loved the actor AUs for other fandoms. So, my masterpiece is complete, though it's not much of a masterpiece.  
> and !! if you have any ideas for a musical for the next one, please comment!

**Author's Note:**

> So it's a bit short. I promise it won't always be short, I just didn't really know how to start it out. Anyways, yeah. Enjoy that while you can. Soon I should have more written! I'm excited for this!!  
> Also, Phantom of the Opera is a great song to write to, by the way. That's what I listen to whenever I write. It motivates me and makes me wanna write angst opera fics. But I won't. Not yet.


End file.
